This Gift
by pikagurl23
Summary: Amidst a terrible tragedy, Misty's heart and strength are tested to the extreme. And with Christmas Day lingering in the near future, who will be there to show Misty that there's always a light at the end of the tunnel? Why, Ash of course! *X-Mas Fic*
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Don't Own Pokemon!

A/N: Alrighty, here we go with another one of my Christmas fics! With finals finally over, most of my time has been devoted to writing this fic and getting it out in time for Christmas. I really hope you guys enjoy this first chapter and don't forget to review at the end! Thanks!

**This Gift**

**Chapter 1**

The day was a dreary mess of snow and dimness, the sun being cast away by the angry looking clouds up above. The thunder rumbled and the lightning flashed brightly, illuminating the bustling streets of Cerulean City. Snow was packed heavily onto the ground, a result of the past weeks snowfall, and light flakes of cold continued to fall upon the buildings and homes of the thriving metropolis with no indication of it stopping.

But, despite the harsh weather conditions, people were still out and about, shopping, conversing with one another, and getting in their last minute Christmas supplies before the dreaded holiday full of holly and gifts was upon them. Christmas was only a mere two weeks away and the simple thought of it all had sent holiday shoppers into a frenzy, killing their paychecks on any and everything on their Christmas lists. As a result, the city's shopping district was packed to capacity with people practically spilling out of the stores in a mad rush of excitement and frustration.

Amidst all the commotion, however, the city's pride and joy, the gym, stood proud and dark amidst the shadows of the bustling town, its lights off and its gates closed to the public. Ornaments and garland hung elegantly off of its gates and around the prestigious building, while Christmas lights, though they did not twinkle, were wrapped painstakingly around the posts and sides of the building, completing its Christmas-y look. The snow that continued to fall lay gently to rest on the décor, giving the gym an ambience of good will and cheer, however, the residents that stood, huddled, just behind the massive building, felt anything but joyous.

Twenty-five year old Misty Waterflower stood, shoulders hunched and shivering, though not from the cold, in front of a small marble tablet on the ground, a bouquet of various flowers adorning its surroundings. Her sisters, namely Daisy, Lily, and Violet, huddled around her, their heads bowed in respect and their eyes closed in silent prayer. Finally, twenty-five year old Ash Ketchum stood beside his shivering red haired girlfriend, hands in his pockets and a somber expression showing through his usually bright and cheery eyes.

The small marble tablet that decorated the ground in front of them bore the name of one of Misty's dearest friends and pokemon partners and looking at the painful reminder made her heart shatter into a million little pieces that she doubted she'd ever be able to put back together. She had never felt so broken, so _helpless_, before in her life and she knew she was experiencing the worst type of pain possible. The pain of losing a partner, a loved one…she wasn't sure if she could ever or would ever recover from it all. The pain was just too great and even with all of the support from her sisters and Ash, Misty never thought she'd see the day where she'd be burying and mourning over one of her closest pokemon friends.

Ash sighed, his eyes shifting over to Misty's distraught form. In all the years he had known her, he had never seen her in such a state. Her usually vibrant blue eyes were clouded over in grief and something else he couldn't discern – possibly guilt? – and her whole demeanor made him want to take her pain and make it his own, for he would do just about anything to see her beautiful smile again. Ash would do just about anything for this girl and he knew she would inevitably go to him for guidance and support. And he would be there for her, as he always was.

Taking a small step towards her still shivering form, Ash slipped out of his own jacket and draped it over Misty's shoulders. She flinched at the sudden warmth, but soon relaxed and turned to look into her boyfriend's eyes. She offered him a teary smile and leaned into his shoulder, pulling his coat tighter around her body. Ash wrapped his arm around her and lightly kissed her temple, leaving his head to rest on her head for a moment longer.

"You okay?" he asked softly, almost so gently that she almost missed it.

Misty regarded him with a numb nod and turned her head towards him, closing her eyes in the process, "I just…I feel like I could've prevented this, like I should have seen it coming or done something, _anything_..." she shivered again as a fresh batch of tears found their way to her eyes.

"Mist, there wasn't anything you could've done that you didn't already do," he whispered soothingly, rubbing her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her, "This isn't your fault."

Misty sniffled in response, "I know, I just…" unable to finish her sentence, she knelt down towards the snow and gently caressed the polished marble slab, it's black letters serving as a harsh reminder of what she had lost. Her tears soon fell once more, the salty drops dripping upon the white stone and mixing with the falling snow, "My sweet, innocent, little Corsola…I'm so sorry I couldn't do more. I should've been a better person, a better trainer then maybe you…"

She couldn't continue before more sobs racked her frame and it wasn't long before she was swept up in Ash's warm arms, his hands rubbing softly against her heaving back.

"Don't do this to yourself, Misty, _please_," he begged, holding her tight and feeling his heart break with each sob that escaped her lips, "None of this is your fault. Corsola died of circumstances that you couldn't possibly have prevented. There was nothing you could do."

"Ash is, like, right Mist," soothed Daisy, the eldest of the Waterflower sisters. The three sisters had all but remained silent throughout the course of the small ceremony they had arranged for their sister's departed pokemon and figured that the only thing that would mend Misty's broken heart would be time. But even in times like these, they were family and all each other had in terms of that, and the sisters knew they would do all they could to comfort their distraught sister in her moment of need.

"Corsola wouldn't have wanted you to blame yourself," added Violet, the second eldest, as she placed a gentle hand on Misty's shoulder.

Lily gave a soft-hearted smile in the direction of her youngest sister, "She's, like, in a better place now."

Lifting her head up to look at her older sisters in full, Misty gave them a tiny nod and wiped the tears away from her already tear streaked cheeks. Feeling a bit stronger, she released Ash and engulfed her sisters in a much needed family hug. The four sisters acted as a wall of strength for one another, though Daisy, Lily, and Violet hadn't always showed their caring side for their youngest sister in years past, times had changed and so had they. Now, they were as close as family could get and through thick and thin, they would get through this and come out of it better than ever.

Ash smiled to himself at the sight set before him. It was times like these where he knew Misty truly appreciated having sisters, as much as she used to gripe about them when they were younger. And it was times like these where even Ash himself was appreciative of their presence. As dimwitted and oblivious as they sometimes could be, Ash knew Misty relied on them as a source of strength and love, for they were the only true family she had and the only females she could depend on.

Looking around, Ash noted how the weather seemed to have eased up a bit since their ceremony had begun. Instead of the rumbling of the thunder and the flashing of the lightening overhead, all that was left were the darkened clouds and a snowfall that seemed relentless.

'A white Christmas,' Ash thought to himself, noting how pristine and beautiful the snow truly looked upon the surrounding trees and the gym that loomed just behind them.

A shuffling soon broke Ash out of his train of thought and he turned to be met with Daisy's eyes, which seemed to be telling him that they were bringing Misty inside. He nodded in response and the four sisters, all hanging off one another as a means of support, slowly walked away from the tiny shrine. Ash's eyes followed Misty's small frame all the way to the gym's backdoor and, though her back was towards him, he could tell that her crying hadn't ceased.

Sighing, Ash knelt down towards what was Corsola's final resting place and laid a single white rose upon its marble face. He stared back at the words carved into the tablet and ran a single finger across its cold surface.

"Sorry you couldn't live to see another Christmas, Corsola," breathed Ash, his hot breath coming out in clouds due to the cold, "You may never realize how much Misty truly loved you."

Standing, Ash brushed himself off of the excess snow and shoved his hands in his pockets. He gave Corsola's grave one last glance before turning towards the gym. He took a few steps towards the entrance before stopping, however, and giving the grave a sideways glance.

"See ya round Corsola, take care of yourself and watch over Misty for me."

With that said, Ash walked solemnly back to the gym.

***

"What? But can't it wait until _after_ Christmas?"

Ash was trying his very best to keep his voice down, but was having a terrible time trying to convey his distaste and, quite frankly, felt like chucking his cellular phone out of the window. But, he figured, that probably wouldn't bode too well with the Waterflower family if he went breaking their windows and nothing could compare to the simultaneous wrath of four sisters scorned, something Ash had learned too little too late a few years back.

It had already been several days since the makeshift funeral for Misty's Corsola and Ash had made it his sworn duty to not leave her side. She had been left broken, utterly responsible for her pokemon's death – even though Ash knew otherwise – and he was not about to let her mourn alone. If anything, he knew she would need that shoulder to cry on, that extra person to talk to and, that soul to love her unconditionally, like he had for the past ten years or so. She needed to feel loved, to feel that it was no fault of hers that Corsola had died, and the feeling that Ash understood what she was going through, even though he couldn't possibly fathom _what_ she was going through.

"But what if I…no, no of course not, I just thought we could reschedule it…" Ash was pacing in the living room of the gym and thanking his lucky stars no one was around to see. Finally, he stopped his pacing and, instead, took refuge in front of the window that led to the gym's front gates. Hand in his pocket, he sighed and rolled his neck back in frustration, "I understand where you're coming from but I've been dealing with a bit of a family emergency here…in Cerulean City…yes, I _realize _this isn't my hometown, but I…no, I'll just--I'll call you back later, okay? Yes, that's fine. Bye."

Ash, grateful that his conversation with his manager was over, slammed his phone shut and shoved it into his pocket, turning the ringer to silent in the process. Who knew being the youngest pokemon master in the history of Kanto could be so much work? It seemed his phone was constantly ringing – it was usually his manager or the President of the Pokemon League himself - and he couldn't quite afford to ignore them completely. He had certain obligations, after all, and his staff and those that looked up to him never let him forget it.

However, he'd be damned if that stupid phone rang again and, if it did, it would be all too soon. Then, he'd probably seriously have to consider buying the Waterflowers a new window…

Folding one arm across his chest and cupping his chin with his free hand, he stared out into the streets of Cerulean City. It was such a beautiful sight. The kids were out playing in the snow, making snow angels and starting snowball fights with one another while their pokemon pranced around in the white fluff that had seemingly overtaken the city. The adults had resorted to getting in their last minute Christmas shopping and were packing the streets of the water loving town, arms full of bags, boxes, and God knew what else.

He visibly sighed and realized how oddly strange their Christmas would be. Misty was still visibly upset over Corsola's loss and it showed, though she tried to hide it. And now, after his less than enthusiastic call from his manager, he had just been informed that he would be –

"Who was that on the phone?"

Suddenly, two warms arms snaked around Ash's waist and latched onto him in an embrace. He could feel a warm presence press up against his back and it made him smile to think that Misty was the only person who could ever douse his worries and make him smile, even in the worst of times.

He turned to face her, taking her into a proper embrace and kissing her forehead in the process. He noted how simply breathtaking she looked in a pair of dark jeans and a maroon colored turtleneck that seemed to accentuate her slim figure. Her hair was dangling in a loose ponytail down her back and she wore the silver pendant he had given her one year for her birthday around her neck.

He could only imagine how flustered and disheveled he must have looked to her, dressed in a pair of old blue jeans and a dark blue hooded sweater. But, nonetheless, she gave him a warm smile, though she still couldn't hide the pain in her eyes at the loss of her pokemon. Ash could see straight through her and knew that, with time, she would be okay, even though she would never admit that she wasn't.

"It was no one," he answered, rubbing the fabric at the small of her back.

Misty raised a brow and shook her head, "Ash Ketchum, you're a terrible liar."

Ash merely chuckled and pulled Misty over to the nearby couch where he brought her to sit upon his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and awaited what, she assumed, would be the truth. In turn, Ash wrapped his arms around her waist and glanced to the side momentarily, trying to find some way to phrase what he didn't want to say.

Misty sighed, "Ash, just tell me already."

He relented at her simple request, "That was my manager and he wants me down in Johto for the opening ceremony of some tournament."

"Which tournament?"

Ash bit his lip. This was the part he was dreading the most. The last thing Ash wanted to do was to see Misty hurt again, but how was he supposed to wiggle his way out of this one? How was he supposed to tell her that they wanted him down in Johto, not just for any tournament, but for the Whirl Cup Tournament? The Whirl Islands had been where Misty had first met and caught her Corsola, how was he supposed to tell her he was going back to the place where she and her beloved pokemon had first become partners?

"Oh, well, you know, it's a new tournament and they wanted me down there to promote it," he lied, avoiding her gaze and staring out at the window he had been standing in front of only moments before.

"Ash…" Misty started, her tone serious, "I've known you for nearly fifteen years and we've been dating for about seven of those years, now, don't you think I'd know you well enough by now to know when you're aren't giving me the whole story?"

Ash inwardly groaned and cursed himself for being so damn transparent. Why could she always see through him?

He dragged his eyes back to her waiting ones and immediately regretted it. What lay before him were a set of dazzling azure eyes gazing back into his, a sort of daring look in the way she was staring at him, as if Misty were challenging Ash to lie to her again. And, Ash being Ash, just couldn't go through with it, especially knowing how much his confession would, inevitably, hurt her. He just hoped this wouldn't send her over the edge.

"I'm going to the Whirl Islands to open for the Whirl Cup," he muttered, watching as Misty's expression slowly changed from that of daring to complete blankness, "Mist, look, I already told him I didn't want to go, especially there of all places."

Ash could see the pain in Misty's eyes flooding back to her in one fell swoop and instantly chided himself for being so weak. All he had to do was lie to her, maybe even stretch the truth a bit, but no, he had to be the good guy and tell the truth. What was that famous saying, nice guys always finish last?

In any case, Misty was still seated in his lap looking blankly out the window, as if staring into perpetual space. She had started to grip the edge of Ash's sweater in her fists and Ash could almost feel the pain emanating from her. He felt completely helpless and suddenly, he caught a swift glimpse of what Misty must have been feeling in regards to Corsola.

She was too silent now, Ash decided, and it was starting to worry him. Slowly, he placed his hand against her cheek and watched as she flinched in surprise and, finally, looked his way, as if seeing him for the first time.

"You okay?" as soon as Ash had spoken those words, he realized the stupidity in them. Of course she wasn't '_okay_!' He had just drawn her memories back to the one instance, the one place, where her heart wasn't ready to tread and yet, as always, he was compelled to ask about her state of mind.

She smiled gently at him, leaning into the warmth his hand emanated, "I'm fine," she said simply and then took a deep breath, as if to ready herself for what she would say next, "You need to be there."

"But Misty--"

"Ash, you're the pokemon master and you have certain obligations to the League and to the world. I _know_ that. I'll be fine, don't worry about me," she reassured, taking the hand that was on her cheek and placing it in her own.

"But--" he tried again, but was abruptly cut off by Misty again.

"No buts. You've been attached to my hip for the past few days and you'll never know how truly grateful and appreciative I am of that, but you need to go. It's part of your job," she said soothingly. She brought her head down to touch his forehead with her own before continuing, "I promise I'll be okay, so you can just call that manager of yours back and get everything settled."

Ash sighed, knowing he would not win this time. Instead, he gave in, caressing both of Misty's cheeks with his hands before seizing her lips softly with his own.

Misty responded with just as much warmth, and wrapped her arms tighter around Ash's neck, almost afraid to let the man in her grasp go. She savored the taste of his lips against her own, his fresh scent of the elements all around them, and the softness of his skin against her touches. He was just too perfect for her and he'd probably never know how much he truly meant to her.

Releasing, the pair slowly opened their eyes and gave each other gentle smiles. Before Ash could say anything, however, Misty beat him to it.

"Go, make your phone calls," she whispered, getting off of his lap, though still keeping physical contact via his hand she kept within her own, "I need to get out of here anyway, get some fresh air, you know?"

Ash nodded and sighed yet again, "Misty, are you--"

"I'm sure," she nodded, finishing his sentence, "It'll be fine Ash. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself," she teased, though the playfulness was lost in her eyes.

Ash stood to face her, sensing the lack of emotion within her. He would do just about anything to get his old Misty back, but knew that things like this took time. It was times like these where Ash truly wished he had inherited his mother's patience, but, unfortunately, he was as impatient as they came. But he would wait…he would wait to the ends of the Earth for Misty to change back to her normal, cheery, temper ridden self again. And, when she did break out of this emotional roller coaster she was now riding on, Ash knew she would only come out of it a stronger person, for it was the least he could expect from someone like Misty.

"I love you," he murmured suddenly, taking the extra step towards her and embracing her yet again. He kissed her forehead gently and felt Misty shudder under his embrace.

And then, she did something that caused the part in his heart – the part reserved only for her – to crack ever so slightly.

She cried into his chest, holding onto Ash like a lifeline and desperately wishing that her little Corsola had not passed on and that this was just some terrible nightmare caused by the darkest depths of her imagination. But it wasn't and so she continued to cry until her tears could fall no more and the couple fell into a subdued silence.

***

Ash walked the bustling streets of Cerulean City, his mind a flurry of emotions, confusion, and hurt. His hands were shoved into his pockets as he roamed the streets of the snow covered city, ignoring the occasional onlooker that happened to recognize him as the current reigning pokemon master. Instead, he trudged on, forgetting for a moment that he was, indeed, the reigning champ of the League and, instead, focusing his thoughts on Misty.

After the emotional display on Misty's part and after she had cried herself dry, Ash had taken her back to her room to rest. Clearly, she had not been getting enough sleep lately – her dreams being plagued by the images of her lost Corsola – and she could find no solace within the warmth of her bed. Over the past few days, Ash had awoken on more than a few occasions to a crying Misty, her strained voice calling out to her precious pokemon in teary apology, before Ash was forced to wake her up and console her, reassuring her that it had just been a dream.

But to Misty, it had been real. Her thoughts, her emotions, her tears, and her apologies had all been real. And try as he might, Ash couldn't convince her otherwise.

And, of course, Misty refused to sleep this time around too. She refused, that is, until Ash had made that phone call to his manager telling him that he'd be on his way over to the Whirl Islands to fulfill his duties. She wouldn't rest until she knew that Ash would remain faithful to the community of pokemon lovers and to the world, for, as much as he was embarrassed to admit it, he was the symbol for everything the League stood for.

So, with a heart as heavy as lead, Ash made the dreaded call back to his manager, informing him of the minor details – flight time, hotel arrangements, and length of stay – and ended the call swiftly, not wanting to waste anymore precious time with trivial details. But Misty had ushered him out anyway, claiming that she needed to rest, for she was worn out from the day's activities, and encouraged him to take a walk around the town.

And so he did.

He walked aimlessly, with no real destination and no idea of how far he had actually walked. Looking up occasionally and checking the position of the sun, he guessed it had to be around 3 o'clock or so. Perhaps it was best that he head back…

Suddenly, the sound of jingling bells caught Ash's attention.

Turning his head to the left, he immediately found the source of the noise. Bells had been attached to a door that belonged to one of the stores that lined the street, and a customer had just walked in, the bells jingling in their wake. Ash examined the store and instantly brightened at what he saw.

In the display cases positioned behind clear, shimmering glass and amidst shining bright lights, were the most beautiful diamond rings he had ever laid eyes on. Each ring had its own separate maroon colored holder, their diamonds glimmering brilliantly against the dark colored display.

Ash walked closer to the display, eyeing each of the rings closely until his eyes fell on an empty case. Smiling, he stuck his hand in his pocket and fiddled with the small velvet box that lay inside, imagining the shining diamond ring that sparkled within its confines.

With his hand firmly around the tiny box, Ash turned around and headed back to the gym.

***

Misty, meanwhile, was sitting poolside, her feet in the cool waters of her gym's pool, her pokemon surrounding her and a blanket wrapped snuggly over her shoulders. The pokemon were huddled around in a semi circle, surrounding their distraught trainer, trying to get some sort of reaction from her.

They knew it was useless though.

She had been like this ever since Corsola had died and they knew that it would take a miracle to pull her out of her slump. But, regardless of all that, Misty was their friend, their trainer and they would do whatever it took to make her herself again.

"Poli politoad!" Politoad exclaimed, clapping his wet hands together in happiness in an attempt to get his trainer to cheer up.

Misty gave a half-hearted smile, giving Politoad a light scratch on the head, "No thanks Politoad. I don't feel much like swimming right now."

Gyarados roared lightly, bringing his massive head down to Misty's level and nudging her shoulder in affection.

"I don't really feel like a ride around the pool either…sorry…" she explained, rubbing Gyarados lovingly along his spiked head.

Gyarados and Politoad looked to one another and shrugged, their demeanors mirroring that of their trainer. Eyes downcast, they dropped their heads and sighed, not being able to remember a time when Misty had looked this depressed or this unhappy. She missed her bubbly, pink and white, happy go lucky Corsola and nothing they said or did would be able to change that fact or the mood that it put her in.

And, if truth be told, they missed Corsola too.

She had been a part of the team; one of them. She had become an amazing battler over the years, her incredible combinations of rock and water making her an invaluable opponent. She had always battled with heart, battled to prove to Misty and to them that she belonged with them, that she was worthy of their trust. But Corsola never needed to prove anything. She was a model pokemon, with a good heart and a brave soul and she never backed down on a challenge.

Corsola was as tough as they came, despite her small size, and her love of the water only proved her allegiance to the Cerulean City gym. It was also these aspects, the pokemon noticed, that drew some similarities between the rock and water type and their own water master.

Misty and Corsola were one in the same. They both had tough exteriors, but were true softies on the inside. They simply adored the water and, despite everything else, they both had a heart of fire, especially for battle. More often than not, Corsola was always Misty's first choice in battle. The pokemon understood that no, it was not because she was the 'favorite' – they understood Misty well enough that she did not play favorites and that she loved her pokemon equally – but it was because of their incomparable ability to think on the same level. Corsola always knew exactly what their trainer was thinking and visa versa and the two never ceased to amaze some of the most prestigious of trainers. It was a connection the other pokemon understood and they knew that it made it all the more harder for Misty to accept that her friend was gone.

Psyduck, feeling a sudden surge of braveness, waddled up to his trainer, hands on his head with that ever present headache, and tilted his head to one side. He nudged their trainer with his beak and put on his best smile.

"Psyduck psy psy duck psy?" he had asked, pointing to the platforms that floated above the water in front of the two battling podiums, "Psyduck psy!"

Misty put on a smile for her dopey duck pokemon and giggled lightly, "You want to battle, to make me feel better?"

"Psyduck!" he nodded enthusiastically, happy that he had made his point without getting too much of a headache.

"Oh Psyduck…I just don't feel much like battling right now. Maybe some other time, okay? I promise," and, with that said, Misty turned her head back to the softly rippling waters of her gym's pool and sighed.

"Duck…" Psyduck frowned, eyes dropping in discouragement. Suddenly angry with himself for even suggesting such a stupid thing, the water type kicked a small pebble that was sitting near him in distaste. However, a puddle of water sitting haphazardly next to him forced the dopey duck to miss step and slip, causing him to go careening with a splash into the cool waters below, "Psy!"

"Psyduck!" Misty called, throwing the blanket off of her and jumping in after her drowning water type. Everything had happened so fast that the other pokemon hadn't had time to react, yet as their scared trainer and their poke-friend sunk to the depths of their pool, instinct kicked in and they went to work.

Misty kicked and paddled her way to the bottom of their twenty foot pool, where Psyduck was desperately trying to kick himself back to dry land. Swimming up next to him, she tried to calm him, waving her arms in a soothing manner and letting him know that she was there to help, but Psyduck wasn't even looking at her. His dark eyes were shut tight, his tiny arms and legs swishing back and forth in the churning waters, as he tried desperately to kick himself back to the surface. He was going nowhere fast, however, and every time Misty got close enough to touch the frantic water type, she would get kicked back by one of his flailing arms or webbed feet. A sudden fear of loss gripped Misty's heart as she watched Psyduck's drowning form and she felt an indescribably amount of helplessness consume her. She was frozen in her spot on the pool's floor, unable to help, for Psyduck would not allow her to get close enough to aid him. She felt helpless…it was the same feeling as with Corsola…it was all the same…

A sudden flash of purple, tan, blue, and orange zoomed past Misty and made a beeline for Psyduck's struggling form. Misty blinked several times, breaking out of her stupor, before realizing what had just happened. Starmie, Staryu, Horsea, Azurill, and Goldeen had come from the surface, zipping through the depths of the pool to help save their trainer and fearful pokemon friend; they had already lost one friend and would be damned if they lost another.

Ignoring the desperate kicks of the drowning duck, Staryu and Starmie got themselves underneath their friend, trying to float him to the surface using their shapes as a sort of barge in the hopes that Psyduck would calm down. He didn't.

Goldeen, Horsea, and Azurill, seeing that their star shaped friends were struggling, came to the rescue. They surrounded Psyduck on all sides, restraining him and making sure he didn't hurt himself or the others. Soon enough, all six pokemon broke the surface of the water, with Misty bringing up the rear, gasping for air. She frantically looked around and spotted Gyarados hoisting Psyduck out of the pool and all her other pokemon huddled around the gasping duck.

Sighing out of relief, Misty swam to the edge of the pool and jumped out, kneeling next to her panting pokemon.

"Psyduck, are you okay?" she asked, picking him up and placing him gently on her lap.

"Psy…duck…" he panted, giving her a weary thumbs-up.

"You could've been seriously hurt!" she snapped, "You need to be more careful around the pool. What would have happened if none of the pokemon were around?" she reprimanded, though her heart truly wasn't in it.

Psyduck cast his eyes downward in shame, feeling the full brunt of his trainer's disappointment. And Misty, feeling guilty, sighed.

Her heart hurt; her heart ached. She didn't want to think about what would have happened to Psyduck had they not been there. Misty didn't think she could bear losing another friend, especially if she could prevent it. In those tense moments at the bottom of her pool and as she remembered herself losing the battle against her flailing Psyduck, she couldn't help but be fearful. Corsola's death was still fresh in everybody's minds and, seeing Psyduck on the verge of drowning, only brought back those feelings of utter helplessness that Misty had felt when she had lost Corsola.

"Psyduck I…I'm sorry I yelled, I just…Corsola…and…I…" before Misty could finish, she could already feel the hot tears pooling at the sides of her eyes, "I'm so sorry…"

Misty engulfed Psyduck in a gentle hug, her tears finally getting the better of her. She cried, her heart still heavy with the loss of Corsola and still fearful of what could've happened to Psyduck. She cried for Corsola, for her friends, and for herself. She could feel her pokemon crowding around her, their comforting cries and roars filling the pool area. She felt their slick bodies against her wet skin and was instantly warmed by their affection and love.

Looking around her, her eyes still fresh with tears, she afforded them a light smile, "All of you…you're hurting too, aren't you?" They all nodded in response, heads low and eyes teary, "I'm sorry…I've been so selfish lately that I've completely forgotten about your feelings too," Misty shook her head in frustration, amazed that she could be so selfish, "I'm such a terrible trainer!"

"Horrrseaa!" Horsea shook her head frantically, trying to disprove the words that were coming out of her trainer's mouth.

"Hiya hiya!" Staryu agreed, spinning in the air in clear defiance.

"Gol goldeen!" Goldeen added, splashing about in the water in disagreement.

Misty looked around her at the pokemon that surrounded her – her friends – and couldn't help the teary smile that formed at the corners of her lips at their words of encouragement. They had told her that she was the best trainer around, that she was Kanto's top gym leader, and that, despite all that had happened over the past few days, they loved her more than ever. It truly brought tears to Misty's eyes to think that her pokemon thought so highly of her and, in that moment, she was proud to call them her pokemon.

"You guys…" she murmured, sniffling a bit, though it made no difference. Her tears dripped down her porcelain face, regardless.

Psyduck, feeling a bit stronger, sat up in Misty's arms and patted her gently on the arm as a means of comfort. Looking down at the yellow duck in her arms, Misty waited, sensing that he wanted to say something important.

"Psy yi psyduck. Psyduck duck psy psy yi psyduck. Psyduck duck."

Misty bit her lip at the conclusion of Psyduck's speech and faintly heard sounds of agreement from all around her. Psyduck, through all his typical confusion, looked extremely perceptive. Misty had never seen such confidence oozing out of the look that Psyduck was giving her and she couldn't believe that she had ever doubted it, even for a second.

For, Psyduck had said, 'We don't blame you. It's not your fault Corsola left us. We all love you.' And as simple as all that was, Misty broke down into tears for the second time that day.

***

"Pika pika, pikachupi?"

"She's still real torn up about it pal," sighed Ash, as he leaned his head against the palm of his hand while his other hand held the receiver to the gym's video phone. He had called home to tell Pikachu of his plans on heading up to the Whirl Islands for the week and, somehow, their conversation had taken an interesting turn in Misty's direction. As Ash continued to talk to his best pokemon friend, he found his once cheery disposition become steadily more depressed and sad.

Pikachu, being as perceptive as he was, caught on immediately to his trainer's mood change and could no longer stay quiet. Ash had told him a few weeks ago of Corsola's ailment and that he needed to take some time off to be with Misty, if only to be her shoulder to cry on. Pikachu and the others understood, of course – Misty was their trainer's girlfriend, after all – and so they opted to stay back in Pallet with Mrs. Ketchum, sending Ash along with messages of hope and love to Misty. They all simply adored Misty and, when they had heard that Corsola was sick, their hearts went out to her and her pokemon.

On a personal level, Pikachu had loved Corsola. She had always been a great pokemon, so upbeat and positive. She was also a top notch battler and had even given him a run for his money a few times in the past. She always had the ability to brighten the room with her joyous cries of happiness and she would not soon be forgotten.

"So, I'll be back in Pallet tomorrow to pick you and the others up and then we'll catch the next flight up to Johto," explained Ash, who had not even noticed that his pokemon had been spacing out.

"Pika," Pikachu nodded in understanding, "Pikachu pika chu pika pikachu?" he questioned, asking how Misty's other pokemon were fairing after the passing of their friend.

"They're holding each other up," Ash answered simply, not going into much more detail than that.

Pikachu nodded once again, understanding Ash's want to not delve too much into the details. He couldn't quite understand what his trainer was going through, but Pikachu knew that it was probably tearing Ash up inside to see Misty so broken. And, on top of that, he had to leave her for the League instead of staying in Cerulean to keep Misty company, especially when she probably needed him now more than ever.

And Misty's pokemon…Pikachu couldn't even begin to think how they were feeling. They had battled side by side for years, battling towards the same objective and giving it their all to please their master. They had been sparring partners, allies, friends and, most of all, they were a family. To have lost a member of their family as quickly as they had…Pikachu couldn't even fathom it. It would have been like losing Charizard or one of Ash's other pokemon.

"Alright pal, I guess I'll see you and the others tomorrow, okay?" Ash reiterated, preparing to end the call with his pokemon.

"Pikachu, pikapi," Pikachu gave a thumbs-up to show he understood, "Pi Pikachu pika pika pikachupi."

Ash smiled at this and nodded, for Pikachu had wanted to send Misty all of his love and sympathy, "I will pal, I will."

***

The next day, Ash stood beside Misty, her hand gingerly grasped within his own, a backpack slung leisurely over his shoulder, as he awaited the train that would take him back to his hometown. The two were engulfed in comfortable silence, the typical noises of the train depot surrounding them as they stood patiently on the platform. Soon enough though, the telltale signs of the metro filtered into the depot, its loud engines echoing throughout the Cerulean City train station.

Upon seeing its arrival, Ash turned to Misty and gave her a heartwarming smile, though Misty couldn't help but see the guilt in his chocolate brown eyes.

"Mist, you sure you'll be okay without me?" Ash had asked, taking both of her hands within his.

Misty couldn't help but smile at his sincerity and compassion, "Like I said before, I'll be fine. Just be sure you make it back in time for Christmas."

Ash nodded, "I will, I promise," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her and engulfing her in a tight hug, "I love you."

Misty reached up to give him a kiss on his warm lips, her own lips tingling with passion and love for the man in front of her. Ending the brief kiss, she smiled, "I love you too, Ash," she said, caressing his cheek before giggling, "Now get out of here, you don't want to miss your train," she teased, hitting him playfully on the arm.

"Yes, ma'am," saluted Ash. He bent over to give her one last kiss on the forehead before releasing her, "I'll probably be out and about most of the time so you can reach me on my cell if you need me. I'll call you when I get to Johto," he added, not wanting to mention the Whirl Islands in Misty's presence.

"Alright, be careful," she warned lightly.

"Always am," Ash winked before turning around and heading towards the waiting train.

Misty's eyes followed Ash's retreating form until he disappeared within the walls of the train. She sighed to herself, folding her arms across her chest as she watched the train slowly pull out of the station. Watching it move along to its next destination – Pallet Town – Misty turned around and headed back to her car.

Ash was watching Misty retreat back to the parking lot of the train station and sighed aloud. He pulled his cell phone out from his pocket and punched in an all too familiar number. Regardless of what Misty thought, Ash was not going to leave her alone by herself to mourn if he had anything to do with it.

A/N: And chapter 1 complete! I hope you all enjoyed it and I look forward to hearing from all of you! Like I stated before, I will try and get the next chapter – which is still in progress - up on Christmas, as sort of my Christmas gift to you guys. Anyway, thanks for reading and now would be an awesome time to review!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Don't Own Pokemon!

A/N: Yay, it's Christmas! Firstly, just wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and I hope you all stay safe and enjoy the time with your families and friends. Secondly, unlike what I had originally anticipated for this fic, this fic will NOT end at two chapters. I am planning on having an additional chapter due to the length and I hope you all hang tight for the conclusion. Anyway, thanks for all of your wonderful reviews from the last chapter. Love you all and enjoy!

**This Gift**

**Chapter 2**

It had been a whole two days since Ash had left and Misty was already starting to feel his absence hitting her hard. He had called earlier that morning, like he had promised, to explain that he had made it to Johto and was already checked into his hotel. The opening ceremonies were the next day and, though he had just arrived, he was not afforded the time to relax and enjoy the change of scenery. He still needed to meet with Mai, the sea priestess and successor to Maya, as well as his manager about what their schedules were going to be like for the next week or so.

With the vast increase in the number of trainers since Ash and Misty themselves had entered the competition nearly fifteen years prior, the tournament was to be approximately a week long, assuming everything went accordingly and there were no ties. So, Misty calculated that he had about two days total or so to travel back to Pallet to pick up his mother and then to head on back to Cerulean City. He was definitely cutting it close…

Like with most things, however, Misty knew Ash would keep his promise to return to her to the best of his ability and do his best to make it back in time for Christmas.

After he had phoned her earlier that morning, Misty really found that life around the gym was pretty boring. Every time she went to start on some sort of chore – cleaning the pool, emptying and refilling the aquariums, or training with the pokemon – she found her thoughts instantly turn to Corsola and she just couldn't handle that right now. Every little thing reminded Misty of her pink and white, exuberant little Corsola and she always found herself on the verge of tears soon after, therefore, unable to complete whatever it was she set out to do.

Corsola was everywhere she looked. She was on a few of the posters down in the aquariums, her old tank, which remained vacant, lay lonely and forgotten, and her pokeball – a lure ball Misty had received from Kurt, the famous pokeball designer in the Johto region – lay empty in a frame, dedicated to her honor, in front of her empty tank.

So, after numerous attempts at being productive, Misty opted for closing herself up in her room for the rest of the day, flipping through photo albums of her and her pokemon, hoping it would bring her some sort of closure instead of the incessant pain she had become accustomed to over the past few days. As she sat on her bed, turning the pages of her past, she couldn't help but smile at a few of the pictures of her, her friends, and her pokemon.

One picture depicted her along with all of her pokemon at the time, another showed her, Ash, and Brock at the Indigo Stadium when Ash had become the pokemon master, and yet another photo showed her human friends along with her pokemon friends.

And then, there was Corsola.

She was standing proudly in front of Misty, a bright smile lighting up her face, and her eyes filled with a kind of pride that only Misty's pokemon could exude. Her poke-pals, Staryu, Starmie, Horsea, Gyarados, Politoad, Psyduck, Azurill, and Goldeen, were huddled at her side, joyous expressions shown through their body language and facial features. They were happy to be together, enjoying each other's company amidst another's accomplishment, and it truly felt like they were family.

Misty smiled fondly, remembering when the picture had been taken and remembering how happy they all were. Staring at the picture tenderly, Misty hadn't even realized that she had started crying. Tears had already started dripping down her cheeks to land on the protective sheet her photos had been encased in and she couldn't help inwardly scolding herself for letting her emotions get the better of her again.

'Corsola wouldn't want me to cry over her…she never did like it when I was upset,' thought Misty, gently wiping away her tears with her hand.

She was about to flip the page when, all of a sudden, the sound of the doorbell ringing resounded within the gym. Sitting up, confusion on her face, Misty turned to face her bedroom door, wondering who on Earth would be ringing them at this time of day. The gym hadn't had any trainers in weeks, probably due to the holiday season and trainers going home for Christmas, so it was odd that anyone would be worried about a gym battle with Christmas a mere week away.

Rearranging herself, she made her way to her window, which showed the front of the gym, and peered down into her snow covered front yard. She couldn't see much, except for a rather large SUV parked just inside the gates of the gym, which Misty found rather odd seeing as one needed a password in order to access the front area.

Misty practically jumped out of her skin when the doorbell rang again.

And, of course, Daisy, Lily, and Violet just had to be out Christmas shopping, didn't they?

Grunting to herself in misfortune, Misty descended the stairs carefully, her heart pounding a mile a minute. What if it was some strange stalker at the door? What if it was some serial killer on the loose and he had some strange infatuation with gym leaders? What if—

_Ding Dong!_

Misty jumped again and had decided that she had had enough. She was not going to be scared and intimidated in her own home! She was having one hell of a week and it was about to be a hell of a lot worse for whoever dared to mess with her outside her home. More determined than before, Misty brought her thumb and index finger to her mouth and whistled. The shrill noise rang throughout the gym and, almost in a heartbeat, Staryu and Starmie were at her side. The star shaped pokemon spun in place, flanking their trainer on either side, waiting for a command.

"Someone's gotten past the front gates and I don't know who it is so, just as a precaution…" she trailed off, and knew she didn't need to finish, for her pokemon were already spinning towards the door.

Staryu and Starmie floated on either side of the doors to their home and waited.

_Ding Dong!_

Misty walked slowly up to the double doors and saw several shadows moving about just outside. Soft murmuring could be heard from beyond and it made the fear at the pit of Misty's stomach clench in anticipation.

Her pokemon prodded her encouragingly, promising their protection if need be and she nodded confidently at them.

Taking in a deep breath, Misty swung the double doors open and glared at her visitors.

And then, she gasped in shock.

That was all Staryu and Starmie needed. The two pokemon sprung into action, spraying their assailants with well placed water gun attacks and forcing them out of the gym.

Misty had been so caught up in the shock of it all, she hadn't even realized what was going on until a water logged voice shouted from beyond.

"M-Misty! I-It's us, call them off!" a male voice shouted, mouth full of water, "Staryu, Starmie cut it out!"

At the familiarity of the voice, the water pokemon ceased their attacks and looked at their supposed attackers.

There, in a heap in front of Misty's front doors, were the soaked and unhappy faces of Brock, Tracey, Gary, May, and Max.

"Th-Thanks f-f-for that," groaned Tracey, his teeth chattering and his arms wrapped around his soaked frame.

"I t-t-told you w-we should h-have c-called her to t-tell her we were c-c-comi-achoo!" argued Gary to Brock, who had been interrupted by a violent sneeze.

Brock grumbled back, "Well, h-how was I t-t-to know she would s-sick her p-p-pokemon on us?!"

"Oh! I'm s-soaked!" shivered May, looking at the puddle she was sitting in and watching as it slowly started to freeze around the edges.

"J-Join the c-club…" muttered Max miserably, folding his arms and rolling his eyes at how immature his sister _still _could be.

"B-Brock, Gary, Tracey, May, Max!" spluttered Misty, her mind still trying to wrap itself around what had just enfolded, "What the hell are you all doing here!?"

"I-I'd l-love to explain th-that to ya M-Mist, but do y-you th-think we could come in f-f-first? It's n-not exactly w-warm out here…" stated Brock, his arms wrapped fiercely around his body in an attempt at warmth.

Still somewhat shocked, Misty quickly ushered them inside and led them to the guest bedrooms to change and get warmed up. Once the group of friends was assembled again, they were seated in Misty's living room, surrounding the fireplace and its red hot flames, and sipping steaming hot coffee, the liquid soothing their bodies and warming their insides from their earlier excursion in the winter snow.

Misty held her cup close to her chest, using the warmth from her cup as a heater for her hands, and pulled her legs in beneath her. She glanced around at her silent friends and noticed that they were all engrossed in their warm beverages, too focused on getting their body temperatures to a normal state. Finally, Misty's eyes turned to Brock, one of her best friends and brother type figure. Brock was sipping his drink contently, leaning in closer to the roaring fire to gain as much warmth as possible, and, when he finally did look up at Misty, he gave her a light, reassuring smile.

"So Brock…you never did answer me out there," said Misty, her voice soft as she was afraid of breaking the calming silence that had enveloped the group of trainers.

"Well, I was a little preoccupied at the time. It's not every day one of your _best friends _launches an all out assault on you with her own pokemon and in the snow, no less," he said dryly, but anyone could tell that he was merely joking.

Misty afforded him a little giggle and couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed at her actions, "Well, you all had me scared out of my mind! I mean, I saw the SUV out front and inside of _my _gates. How the hell was I supposed to know you were dropping by for a surprise visit?" she defended.

Gary leaned himself closer to Brock, rolling his eyes in the process, "I told you we should have called," he muttered and Misty couldn't help but laugh again at this, "But no, what was it you said to me, Slate? Oh 'Misty won't mind! She'll be _thrilled_ to see us!' Yeah, _thrilled _my ass…"

Brock rolled his eyes, but no one could miss the humor between the two boys, "Like I said before, I didn't know she'd freak and send her pokemon on us. I mean, it's not like we didn't _knock_!" came Brock's retort.

"Here we go again," Tracey groaned and, as he always did whenever something like this happened, he pulled his trusty notebook from out of his pack and started doodling. If truth be told, it had been quite a while since he had been to the Cerulean City gym. Professor Oak hadn't sent him on an errand here in quite some time and Tracey actually found it quite nice to be back here. Not too much had changed, the pokemon watcher noted, and he immediately felt at home, as if he had never left to begin with. Misty had always been very hospitable whenever he dropped by for a visit in his younger years and he oftentimes regretted letting their friendship hold together by mere phone calls and letters, but there wasn't too much that could be done about that now. He was always hard at work for the Professor in Pallet Town and rarely had a moment alone to himself, let alone to spend time with his friends. This instance, however, was an exception. Misty needed them, though she may not have known it, and Tracey wasn't one to back down on a friend when they needed him the most.

"Alright you two, cut the crap," came May's exasperated voice. She had travelled across two regions, been in the car for far longer than she liked and, to top it off, was attacked by two pokemon while in the freezing snow, no less. Right now, all she wanted to do was curl up in a warm blanket with a steaming cup of hot chocolate and take a nap in front of a roaring fire, _not _listen to Brock and Gary bickering like they were children again.

Though, May had to admit, the togetherness they were now sharing _was_ nice. It had seemed like ages since May had seen Misty last and, immediately, she could tell the gym leader was not herself. Her pokemon's death must have really left her broken, May figured, and she couldn't help but feel an overwhelming amount of sympathy for Misty. May knew that, at the end of the day when all was said and done and everyone was together like this, it made her journey to Cerulean worthwhile. And, even now, when she knew that Misty was suffering on the inside amidst this terrible tragedy, she was still able to smile. It was an aspect of Misty that the coordinator truly admired and appreciated; the ability to smile when it had seemed as if your life had stopped.

"Yeah, we'll just say it's _both_ of your faults and leave it at that," added Max as he took another long swig of his drink. Like his sister, Max had endured too. He had gone the same distance to reach Cerulean City as his sibling had and, if it hadn't been for the fact that he actually _liked _Misty and didn't mind visiting her, regardless of the long trek they had made getting here, he probably would have been pretty sour at the two boys. But, seeing as he loved the bonding (if that's what it could be called right now…), he shrugged it off and merely took in his surroundings, waiting for the moment when Brock would explain to Misty exactly why they were all gathered there.

Max knew, of course, their reason for being there and he could only hope Misty accepted that with open arms. She was never one to reject any of her friends, no matter how long it had been since she had seen them last, and Max was confident that Misty would open up to them and maybe allow herself to heal in the process.

Misty giggled again and realized, with a start, that she hadn't felt this good in a long time. She was actually laughing and enjoying herself and had temporarily stopped thinking about her pokemon's untimely death. In fact, she hadn't really thought about anything other than her friends since their surprise appearance on her doorstep and, if not for them, she probably would have still been in her room, door closed and her thoughts solely on her Corsola and what more she could have done to save her.

But, as it turned out, her friends had saved her, whether they knew it or not and she would forever be grateful for their friendship.

But, one little question still remained.

Why were they there in the first place? Misty had been so busy lately, she hadn't had a spare chance to even call Brock to let him know what had happened, let alone any of her other friends. So, what was with the surprise visit?

Hearty laughter pierced the room and Misty soon realized that her friends had been laughing, their laughter directed at both Brock and Gary.

Brock, as it turned out, still lived in the Pewter City gym, helping out whenever he could and as often as he could. His younger brother, Forrest, had taken over as official gym leader a few years back and Brock couldn't be prouder of him. The kid definitely had a knack for battling and his knowledge of the rock and ground type pokemon that the gym prided itself on was staggering and impressive, to say the least. Forrest had a nearly flawless record and, with Brock watching over him, failure simply wasn't an option.

Brock, however, had other things to worry about. He had finally started his breeding center, after borrowing some of the funds from the gym, and was stationed in his hometown. He had learned much from his travels throughout the various regions with Ash, Misty, May, and Max and wanted to finally apply all that he had learned with the hopes of helping those around him. And Brock had done just that. Every day he was living out his dream, accomplishing his goals of becoming the world's top breeder and having a few select people to thank for that.

Misty had been one of those people. The only female in their group throughout Kanto and Johto, Brock considered her a little sister of sorts and loved her like family. She had always been right by his side, encouraging his lifelong dreams and knowing that, in the end, he would be successful in his endeavors, no matter how long it took. She had always helped him out in a bind and never hesitated to give him a hand or lend an ear when he needed it. And now, it was time to return the favor.

Gary, on the other hand, had continued to stay on Saida Island, continuing his research on the supposed 'extinct' pokemon of the past. He had learned much during his stay there and, one day, had hoped to make a lab of his own to call home, much like his grandfather had before him. He wanted to make a name for himself, to discover as much as he could about the pokemon that inhabited their world, and learn all he could about pokemon, their past, and how they came to be.

Gary, however, hadn't always wanted to be a researcher. For the longest time, Gary's ambition was aimed at becoming the world's strongest and best pokemon master, a position now held by one of his closest friends and ex-rivals, Ash Ketchum. Ash had had a certain connection with pokemon, a bond Gary could never, in his wildest dreams, achieve. And so, with his extensive knowledge of pokemon behind him, Gary had decided that his calling lay with researching pokemon, instead of training them. He still, of course, battled from time to time, but his heart was truly with learning more about those creatures and their past with the hopes of understanding them better in order to strengthen the bond between pokemon and human.

But now, he was not here as a researcher nor was he here as a trainer. Instead, he was here merely for the fact that his childhood friend's girlfriend needed him and, though Gary was known to be insensitive and rash in his younger years, he had matured and was now a devout friend and listener to all.

Misty cleared her throat, commanding the attention of her friends around her. Brock and Gary momentarily stopped their friendly bickering, whilst May, Max, and Tracey waited for Misty to speak.

"So, once again," she reiterated, "What are you all doing here?"

At the repeated question, all eyes turned to Brock. The breeder took another long swig of his drink, his eyes focused on the roaring fire to his side. He seemed preoccupied, momentarily lost in thought, which was a stark contrast compared to how carefree and friendly he had been earlier.

"Well," he said finally, still not meeting Misty's eyes, "Ash called us. He was worried about you and didn't want you to be alone, especially after…"

Brock trailed off, not wanting to finish his sentence. He sighed and, after what seemed like hours, he finally got the nerve to look up at Misty. She had a blank expression on her face and her eyes, though looking straight at him, seemed to look through him. Her hands trembled slightly and she was forced to put her mug down on her coffee table before she made a mess of her living room.

Watching her tentatively, Brock bit his lip, hating to have to bring up such a sore subject, especially when it was obvious to everyone in the room how much it hurt Misty. He just wished there was more he could do.

"A-Ash called you all?" came Misty's stuttered question.

May laid a gentle hand on Misty's arm and smiled, "Well, he called Brock first and Brock passed the message along to us and, well, here we are."

"Yeah, after we heard what happened…well, we just couldn't sit at home while you were here by yourself," added Tracey consolingly.

"Besides, with Ash away in Johto, we thought you'd like some company to pass the time. It's almost Christmas after all," Gary said, trying his best to be sincere and sensitive.

"We're all here for you Misty. We know how hard this must be for you so…well, if you need to talk or anything…" Max offered, giving Misty a gentle smile.

Misty was at a loss for words. She couldn't believe Ash would go out of his way to make his absence as bearable as possible. Well, maybe she _could_ believe it. This _was_ Ash she was talking about here; he didn't really know anything about being subtle, did he? But again, she couldn't help the swell in her heart at the knowledge of how much he truly loved her. His love for her really knew no bounds.

"I can't believe…I can't believe he did that for me," she murmured, breaking out of her stupor. She could feel the tears stinging her eyes but refused to let them fall. She had done enough crying for one day.

"Yeah, well, you've got a pretty special guy there," commented Brock, in a brotherly sort of tone, "And you know how Ash is…"

Misty nodded at her friend's words.

And then it was silent again.

And Brock, being Brock, and having all the experience of taking care of those younger than him, spoke up.

"Mist…I know this…I know this may be hard on you but…" he really wasn't sure how to voice his question. Ash had made their conversation very brief the other day, only stating that Corsola had passed away from some illness and Misty was taking it very hard. Beyond that, he didn't know much more. But Brock knew Misty and he knew that if she was allowed to get some of those things off of her chest, it might just make her feel better.

But how the hell was he supposed to ask his best friend to relive something that had become such a nightmare for her? How was he supposed to ask her to retell her tale and suffer through all she had already endured?

"You-You want to know what happened, right?"

And Brock nodded numbly. Five pairs of eyes, including Brock's, rested on Misty's face, waiting for some kind of reaction.

Misty took in a deep breath, not quite sure how to start and wondering if she'd even be able to finish her story before breaking down. But, perhaps talking about the whole ordeal was the way to go. Hiding from it like it never happened certainly wasn't doing her any good nor was it healthy for her, but she had never really had another outlet, besides Ash, and the opportunity never really presented itself to her. But here and now, her friends were gathered and offering words and gestures of comfort and kindness and maybe it was the perfect opportunity for her to share her story, in the hopes that it would help heal her heart.

She nodded to herself more than to anyone else and looked to her friends surrounding her. They all wore expressions of sadness and sympathy and, all at once, she felt very undeserving. She didn't deserve their remorse or their tears, but for Corsola…well, she figured, she owed it to her pokemon to retell her story. Perhaps it would make good on her memory.

"Well," Misty started and immediately she saw her friends tense, awaiting her words that were sure to follow. They knew this would be painful for Misty and were ready and willing to offer support where support was needed, "It all started a few weeks ago when I noticed that Corsola had contracted some type of fever…"

_**Flashback**_

Ash and Misty had been seated in the examination room of Cerulean City's pokemon center for nearly thirty minutes, the ticking of the wall clock the only noises being made in the relatively tiny room. The couple had been plunged into silence thirty minutes prior, being left by Cerulean City's Nurse Joy, and really in no state to start any form of conversation with one another. Throughout the whole ordeal, Ash had been by Misty's side, being her wall of strength amidst her fears for her pokemon friend and giving her the silence she desperately needed, for Ash could not positively guess what was going through his girlfriend's mind at the time.

Sighing, Ash couldn't believe how such an amazing week could have turned so sour in the span of a few days. He never once would have guessed that he'd be spending it with Misty and her Corsola, sitting in the examination room of the town's pokemon center and awaiting the verdict as to what ailment the rock and water type had contracted.

Misty's poor Corsola, usually so upbeat and energetic had lost her sparkle a few days prior, pending a fever that seemed so out of place for any water type pokemon. Ash and Misty had both figured that, given the stress Misty had been enduring at the gym due to the influx of trainers the past few weeks that Corsola had been stressed out too. But, even after a few days of solid rest (where Misty had given Corsola the past few days off of battling), her fever and energy lacking attitude still hadn't let up. She just seemed so out of it and unlike herself. It wasn't until that very day that Corsola had fainted in her own tank that Misty knew this was far worse than the common cold.

And Misty, being Misty, was absolutely worried sick about her pokemon. She had never in all her years of knowing the rock and water type seen her so down and so affected by anything before. And Misty couldn't help but feel totally and utterly helpless to her pokemon. She wished there was something she could do to ease Corsola's constant fever and she wished that she could take any pain the pokemon may have been feeling and make it her own, but she couldn't and it was those reasons that made Misty upset at herself, though she would never admit that to anyone, especially Ash.

He knew, of course, without her having to tell him her worries and, Ash being Ash, never pressed her for details. He never asked more than what needed to be known, for everything – every emotion, detail, and frustration – was seen through the pain in Misty's eyes. And Ash knew that, as helpless as Misty felt to Corsola, he felt equally as helpless to her.

Now, as Ash and Misty awaited Nurse Joy to reenter the room with the results from the blood test she had done a mere hour ago, the two couldn't help but rest their eyes on the small, unmoving form of Misty's Corsola.

Corsola sat in Misty's lap, her eyes closed with a damp cloth folded neatly atop her spiked head. Beads of sweat dripped down her entire frame and her breathing had become even more shallow and labored as the minutes passed by. The poor pokemon was completely drenched in her own sweat and was totally unresponsive, even to her own trainer's touches and words of comfort.

Finally, when it had seemed as if hours had passed between the time Nurse Joy had left them to now, the door of the examination room opened to reveal the nurse with a clipboard in her hands and an unreadable expression on her normally cheery face.

Misty, of course, saw this as a bad sign, immediately fearing the worst and wasted no time in asking the nurse what exactly was wrong with her pokemon.

"Nurse Joy, have you found out what's wrong with Corsola?" she asked, her voice as small as Ash had ever heard it. He leaned over and gently grasped her hand in his and she didn't hesitate to give his hand a gentle squeeze too.

Nurse Joy looked over her notes briefly and sighed. Taking a seat across from Ash and Misty, she did her best to review what she had found in laymen's terms.

"Misty, I'm afraid your Corsola has a rare form of disease called acute glandular poke-itis," Joy explained, her eyes shifting to the unmoving Corsola in Misty's lap.

Misty's eyes knitted in confusion, "What _is_ it exactly?"

"Well, it's a disease that affects pokemon that contain multiple types within their blood, such as your Corsola," Joy started, her gaze switching from Corsola, to Misty, and finally to Ash separately, making sure that she hadn't lost them yet, "A certain balance exists within the body of a pokemon that harbors multiple types. Your Corsola, for instance, is part water and part rock. In order for a pokemon to be healthy, those opposing elements need to co-exist."

Nurse Joy stood up and walked over to a poster hanging on the nearby wall. The outline of a Pidgey could clearly be seen and, 'inside' of the Pidgey, were the varying organs mapped out in different colors to distinguish one from the other.

She pointed to its organs as Ash and Misty's eyes followed hers, "This," and she indicated a portion of the Pidgey above what looked to be the stomach, "…is what a normal, one-typed pokemon looks like. Notice how there's just fluid there above the stomach and not much else," Ash and Misty both nodded simultaneously, "And then over here," Joy turned her attention to a poster pinned next to the one with the Pidgey on it. This one was an outline of a Chinchou, its organs visible like with the last poster, "…you can clearly see that there's an extra organ. This gland allows a pokemon that is two-typed or otherwise to control those types and maintain a balance between one another. If a clean balance is met and the gland is healthy, the two elements, regardless of the fact that they may be weak against one another, can co-exist."

Joy waited for both Ash and Misty to nod in acknowledgement before taking her seat back in front of them. She examined their expressions carefully and knew they could sense there was more to her explanation than what she had presented. Misty knew more about water pokemon than anyone Joy knew and Ash, being the master of the Pokemon League, was also well versed in pokemon knowledge and their behaviors. Something like this, something so rare, well…Joy didn't even want to think about it, but she had to. It was her job after all to inform all trainers of their pokemon's physical ailment, regardless of how it would have killed her to do so.

"For some reasons we can't quite explain, certain pokemon contract a sort of pokemon cancer, where their body's cells of one type are overpowering the cell's of the other. In this case," she looked to Corsola once more and gave it a soothing stroke along her shivering body, "…the cells that are attached to Corsola's water element are attacking the cells attached to her rock element."

"So…what exactly are you saying?" asked Misty, though she was sure she probably didn't want to know the answer.

Was she really prepared to hear what Nurse Joy's conclusions had been? Was she ready to accept the fact that Corsola might not come out of this unscathed, that she could possibly end up losing one of her best pokemon friends? Well, Misty figured, she owed it to Corsola to know exactly what was going on inside of her body, regardless of how much it may have hurt her to hear it. Misty only hoped that there was something that could be done about the pain. However, in the darkest depths of Misty's mind, she knew the answer. She knew enough about human cancers to know the outcome was never pleasing. She knew that the patients rarely, if ever, survived that horrendous disease and she also realized that there was no cure for it either. Misty could only hope that pokemon cancers ran a bit differently…

Nurse Joy bit her lip, not quite sure on how to phrase exactly what she needed to tell the young gym leader. However, Misty deserved to know the truth. She deserved to know what exactly would happen to her Corsola and approximately how much time she would be afforded.

"What I'm saying is that…" Joy had to take in a deep breath here and realized that it was times like these where she hated being a nurse the most, "…Corsola's body is slowly shutting down. Her body is killing itself from the inside out due to the imbalance in the cells. I'm sorry…I wish there was something I could do."

Misty's insides clenched in fear at Joy's words. She couldn't believe what she was hearing; wouldn't believe what she was hearing. It just couldn't be true. There had to be something, _anything_, they could do to help Corsola. With all of the technology in the world, there must have been some kind of antidote or surgery or remedy that could help get rid of this disease. It couldn't just continue to suck the life out of Corsola; Misty would not hear of it! She had to save Corsola, she had to do something for her…she had to…

"You mean there's no cure?" asked Ash, though he was sure he knew the answer.

Nurse Joy shook her head despondently, her pink hair swaying about her, "I'm afraid not. Like human cancer, we aren't quite sure why or how this happens to certain pokemon; it just does without warning. And, like human cancer, we've yet to find a cure for it. I'm so sorry Misty…"

Joy chanced a glance up at the unusually quiet gym leader and noticed a glazed look overtaking her normally bright and cheery eyes. She was staring straight ahead of her, not really focusing on anything in particular, and her hands trembled ever so slightly, their grip on Corsola waning. Her face was void of all emotion and Joy could instantly tell that she had just broken Misty's heart with the unfortunate news.

Ash looked to his girlfriend, almost afraid of the face he would see in return. Misty's face was completely drained of color, her lips trembling with hurt and confusion. He wasn't quite sure what to say, or if there was anything that he could possibly say that would make this better, but he knew he had to try.

"Mist…" Ash murmured and when he heard no response from her end, he squeezed her hand just a bit tighter, "Misty…" he tried again and this time, much to his relief, she responded, but in a way that broke his heart. She turned to face him, her eyes completely clouded over in grief, tears pooling at the corners, and it made him want to just hold her and never let go.

"A-Ash…I-I'm going to lose her, aren't I?" she whispered, her voice shaky with the remnants of emotion from the tragic news

Ash was at a loss for words. What was she expecting him to say? Did she want to hear that, yes, Corsola would soon succumb to this incurable disease and soon leave her? Did she want him to lie to her and tell her everything would be okay when he knew indefinitely that it wouldn't? He couldn't find the words to properly describe how he was feeling in that moment and he never wanted to be the one to shatter Misty's heart the way he knew it was breaking his now. He never wanted to see her cry if he could prevent it and he never wanted to be the bearer of bad news, even though she only trusted him to deliver it.

And so, with nothing - no words of comfort, no fabricated truths, and no harsh words of reality – he did the only thing he could think of. He held her. He held her tightly against his chest, letting her suppressed tears fall in full and letting her emotions get the better of her, for he knew it was all she could think of doing. He stroked her back gently, feeling her body shiver under his protection as sobs racked her frame fiercely. He could do nothing else for her and felt helpless as he watched with numb eyes as Nurse Joy excused herself to leave them in peace.

Misty stayed tightly embraced within Ash's arms, not even regarding the fact that Nurse Joy had left their presence, and let her tears fall unceremoniously to the ground. She had never felt so lost before, so utterly incapable of believing that something like this could happen to her, but it had and she was broken. Even with Ash's warmth beside her, she felt numb to the world, an unfamiliar coldness filling her heart and leaving it to shatter in a million pieces. She was knee deep in an unfamiliar path and had no idea what to do.

Finding the strength to finally look down at her own pokemon, Misty's tear filled eyes met with the infinitely darkened ones of her Corsola. Corsola's breathing still hadn't improved, her small, vulnerable form still shivering in pain, as she struggled to put on a smile for her distraught trainer. And Misty couldn't help but give her a teary smile back, for it was the only thing she had the strength to do.

"C-Cor…c-cors-sola…" Corsola had murmured, lifting one rock like leg to place atop her trainer's.

At this, Misty bit her lip, her tears falling harder and faster now. She pulled Corsola in closer, being mindful of her feverish condition, and stroked her front spike gently, trying her best to ignore the unusual heat emanating from her body.

Ash leaned in closer to Misty, his arms still firmly around her, and whispered in her ear, "What did she say?"

Leaning in closer to Ash's warmth, Misty whispered back, her voice breaking in-between, "She t-told me that it w-would be o-okay…that _I_ was going to b-be okay."

Ash nodded in understanding and left it at that. He didn't feel the need to say anything anymore; Corsola had filled in the gaps just fine by herself. And now there was nothing else for the couple to do but hope, pray, and perhaps wish for a miracle…a miracle Ash and Misty weren't sure they would get in time…

A/N: And there you have it, the tragic story of Misty and her Corsola with explanations to boot! Well, I hope you all enjoyed that chapter and please keep a lookout for the next one, which should be out by or before New Years. Anyway, I wish you all the best and hope you have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hannakuh, Happy Kwanzaa, or whatever it is you all celebrate. Stay safe everyone and, as always, AAML for life!


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